Machinima, Through My Eyes

Problems with The Sims3 begin with EA™

2009-12-03T14:59:00.002-05:00

As an introduction, I'll give a quick explanation as to why I write about Sims things here. Simply, it's because the Sims games are used to make machinima, and it is the game engine that I use. And for all of those who are experiencing the latest Sims release as a nightmare, there may be some helpful information in this posting.

Now, without further ado ...

I think it's important to establish how far back my love of EA™ games goes. I was playing console games when I first discovered those such games released by EA™. In fact, the first EA™ game I played was, "Mutant League Football", and for those of you who have never heard of the creature I will tell you that the game was released in the 80's. So, I have been a fan of EA™ games for almost 3 decades.

I have been playing The Sims games, including Sim City, since these games were first released in the 90's and created then by Maxis™. I have all the Sims EPs and all the Sims2 EPs, and with all the problems I have encountered with the Sims3 game, I have decided I have bought my last EA™ game. And it's not the problems that prompted me to make this decision, but the lack of support from EA™. It's one thing, and it's annoying that EA™ released a game that is riddled with bugs to the degree that the Sims3 game is, but it's a completely different matter and completely unacceptable that they do not provide support and fixes to these major problems.

I have been experiencing one problem after another with the Sims3 game, and none of these problems are in any way related to my system performance. All of these problems are a direct result of poor programming of the game coding. All of the "fixes" or solutions to the problems I have either figured out on my own or searched through fan sites, hoping to find that someone else had a similar problem and was kind enough to post a fix.

Before I made any attempt to play the game, I had a look at the list of "cheats", and when I came across the "resetsim" cheat, all sorts of flags went up. Still, I loaded up the game and crossed my fingers. I have had to use the "resetsim" cheat more times than I am able to count, and now completely understand why that cheat was implemented.

The first annoying problem came with the "story progression" feature of the game.
I am one of those players who likes to have several families going in the game. With the Sims3 that is pretty much a disaster. By the design of the game, if you abandon a family to play a different family, the game program pretty much "plays the abandoned family". When I returned to my abandoned family, they either weren't there, or I found some of them there with different jobs and with different partners and some pregnant.
There is a feature in "Options" that is supposed to turn off the "story progression" feature, which on the surface is the only way to stop your families from being destroyed, BUT ... that feature was "bugged" ... go figure. So, EA™ offered a work-around.
I will provide the details here, as I have found this quite useful, even though, in my game it did not fix the problem with the "story progression" mode ... my sims are still in the household when I return to them, but they often have different jobs.
OK, here's what you do ...
You create a short cut to the game.
Right click on the new short cut and click "Properties".
In the "Target field" you will see this ...
"C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\TS3.exe"
Place your cursor at the very end of this path, hit your space bar one time and type this ...
-disablestoryprogression

Now, what this does is create a short cut that launches the game directly. In other words, it bypasses that annoying launch window that connects you to the "Exchange" and the download manager. However, if you want to play the "story progression" mode, you will have to use the original short cut.

The next problem came with the"teach to talk" interaction between toddler and adult. There seems to be no specific trigger or cycle. The two sims involved with the interaction just simply get stuck, but if you use the "resetsim" cheat on the adult sim, it unsticks the sims and the game continues.

The third problem appeared in the form of hundreds of thieves popping onto one of my residential lots. Because of my system specs I was still able to actually play that neighborhood, but the lag was incredible. I was never able to find a fix. In the end, I had to delete that one lot.

And then I did that stupid thing of "patching" the game. As suggested by other sites, I removed my custom content before patching. After patching I replaced my custom content and launched the game. I thought that if it launched without any problems I was home free. So, I continued to build this incredible beach lot which was a commercial lot and contained a pier. The idea was to have a "cool" beach front location to have a wedding. I spent about 5 hours on it before I had decided I needed to stop for the day. When I returned, all my commercial lots were gone, and in their places were blue flat squares. I searched online for a fix ... found nothing. I went through the painstakingly tedious process of trying to find a bad custom content file. Nothing worked. So, I reinstalled the game.

Finally, I installed the, "World Adventures" EP, and of course, I installed more bugs and problems. To make an already long story somewhat shorter, I was unable to access the "Travel" feature. For those who don't know, for the sim to "Travel", you click on a sim's cellphone or a house phone and receive a menu. From that menu you click "Travel", which is supposed to launch another menu. Well ... in my game the sim would freeze every time I clicked the "Travel" option. I tried different sims, in different houses, in different neighborhoods ... they all froze.

I searched online ... and didn't find anything. So, on November 30, I sent an email to EA™, and instantly I received the standard automated reply ...
"Your question has been received. You should expect a response from us within 24 hours."
OK ... that was 4 days ago, and I've not received a reply to my "help question", but, I did receive an email from EA™ today, offering me free stuff if I order the Sims3.

So, for any of you facing this problem, I can tell you what I had to do to work around this ...
I had to uninstall and reinstall the base game and the EP. I have actually taken a sim to China, but, I have not patched the game or replaced any of my custom content.

If I decide to continue with the Sims3 and try the game with the custom content installed, I will let you know if the bug returned or not.

My best to anyone struggling with this game, and my final assessment of this game is that it's simply not worth all the trouble it takes to be able to play it. As for EA™, they have finally succeeded in disappointing me, and I will never purchase another one of their products. And as a dissatisfied customer, I will of course tell all my friends and family ... we all know how it works, and this dissatisfied customer can reach many more customers online than what was possible before by word of mouth.

The Sims 3 as a Machinima Tool . . .

2009-09-13T17:13:00.003-04:00

With the release of Electronic Arts' third generation of the popular video game, "The Sims" (relevantly titled, "The Sims3"), we are back to taking baby steps, both as players and machinimators. A couple of months ago, I had posted a thread, hoping to receive some advice and/or criticism on TS3 (the Sims 3) as it pertains to making machinima. Unfortunately, there was not much response, and one member suggested that if I needed custom content in order to make a video that it might be best if I wait for custom content to be created before I made an investment in the new game.
In addressing that point, I'd like to point out that I don't "need" custom content in order to create a piece of machinima with TS3, but I "choose" to use custom content, and I am elaborating on this point because there is something to be learned here ...
If you are the type of artist or video director that places emphasis on creating mood and atmosphere in your machinima, you will not be able to achieve the desired mood or atmosphere without the use of custom content.
A good example of this can be supported by the picture above. The photo is taken directly out of gameplay in TS3. Notice the hair texture. In the second generation game, the hair was animated, giving a more realistic flare to the game and to what videos were made with TS2. But, in the above picture, the toddler has a hair texture provided by the game, and the mother's hair is made with custom textures. Though not animated, the mother's hair has more character and realism than the toddler's.

OK ... moving on ... having received very little feedback to my question, and having had been unsuccessful finding much information at the time about the comparison of the two generation games for the purpose of machinima, I bought the game, installed it, and I have been playing it.
And it does seem that the more I play it, the more I miss the older generation, The Sims2. I'm hoping I will enjoy the new generation more as expansion packs are released, providing better dynamics to the game.

And as I played, the more evident it became that the lack of custom content was just the tip of the iceberg. There seems to be more bugs with this new generation than with the last one, and the bugs from the last version have resurfaced in the new version. You would think EA could sort out the lazy coding by now. The most annoying thing is the pathing problem, and I did a little experiment and discovered that the way the sims move into the path of another sim seems to be a deliberate action coded into the game.

So, I found myself back to square one, trying to get this new game "set up" to my liking, but without the availability of "hacks" to fix things. I spent three days searching for a "censor patch", because that mosaic blur is just down right annoying. Thankfully, that patch is now easy to find and is now on Mod the Sims, for those of you just getting your feet wet with TS3.

There is an unnatural gait with the way the sims walk in TS3 which makes the sims look more like computer-generated avatars and less like humans, and there are not nearly the number of interactions that were offered by the last version. Perhaps, that is something that will also be fixed with time and the release of new EPs (expansion packs). One of things that really disappoints me and greatly affects movie-making is that sims do not get in or get out of vehicles. They go to the curb, a vehicle appears, the sim disappears from the curb and reappears in the vehicle. A nice new feature is the bicycle, but the sim does not get on or off ... it is the same process as the vehicles.

I think what I miss the most from the older version are the different seasons and snow. There are other things missing ... NO POOL TABLES! I loved the pool tables. Here is a list of things that aren't in the new generation game (as I am able to recall) ...
-- Seasons and weather
-- Pets, vampires, witches, zombies ... etc.
-- Pool table, card table, dart board, hot tub

-- Swimming in the ocean ... or beach activities
-- Diving board or slide
-- "Woohoo" on sofa or cars (basically woohoo only happens in the bed ... except for the rare occurrence which must be triggered by game play.
-- Vacations

As far as playing the game goes ... we're back to the grind of skilling and making friends in order to further your careers, and then raising a family. There really isn't much variety available. Again, maybe this will fix itself with time and EPs. I should mention here the introduction of the "rabbit holes". I'm not too thrilled with this. It has changed the dynamics of commercial lots and how sims interact with those lots. On a commercial lot with "rabbit holes", the sim enters the rabbit hole (which is a structure, like a building that is an object) and then disappears from view. The sim remains out of view until the desired task is completed and then pops back into view outside of the structure. There still remains the ability for the user to create a building or function on a commercial lot, but the lots in a neighborhood are predetermined and defined. And, when building your commercial lot, you are limited to what is available. For example, you can build a restaurant, but you won't have the NPCs like cooks or servers. Or, you can build a bar, but there won't be any bartenders or pool tables, etc. Not much of a bar, if you know what I mean. You can build a shop, but you don't have things like mannequins or cash registers, etc. and sims don't buy things like clothing. They buy groceries and books, but they buy these things in the rabbit hole shops.

Now, it's not all bad. The seamless neighborhood is a nice touch, but I don't think it really aids or detracts from creating a video. And the water is absolutely beautiful and very nicely animated. The trees are animated, and, in fact, the detailing with all the outdoor plants is very nice, and will definitely be a plus with video creation. The biggest plus is the ability to recolor almost every item in the game. There are some things which can't be recolored from within the game, such as stairs, fences and chimneys, but everything else can be changed by the user, and that is definitely a huge plus!
Once you get used to the new ways things are built and manipulated, building is actually easier in this version, and more things can be accomplished.
Another nice touch are the birds, clouds, and angle of the sun and moon, all moving in "real time". This is most definitely a feature that will enhance movie-making.
I am a bit clueless as to what they were thinking over there at EA when they coded the infants, because they look like "papooses", and they are not well animated. However, the toddlers have been improved, with more animation and abilities. And this is where I have to end things, as none of my families have progressed beyond having toddlers. Perhaps I can update once my toddlers graduate to children.

2009-07-23T10:44:00.009-04:00

By request, I have rendered an alternate version of this video, featuring the song, "Natural" by Rob Thomas. It is available on Vimeo, and can be viewed from my videos page.

The concept of this video, its story, began unexpectedly and, for me, unconventionally. Its birth was accidental and might not have come to light if not for the discovery of a forgotten file on my PC.
I was in the process of "cleaning house", getting rid of ALL things related to unwanted memories. Delete, delete, delete ... and then I came across a file that had been sent to me during a time that was supposed to have been my "best days", and it was at that exact moment I began to get glimpses of an idea for a video. Ironically, this happened at a time when I had decided I wouldn't make anymore videos. And as events began to unfold in my personal life, so did more of the concept of this video.

One thing that remains true about me since I made my first machinima four years ago, is that I choose to cling to the idea that machinima in its simplest theory is a perspective through the boundaries of a video game. One of the things that keeps it interesting for me are the challenges presented by the limitations of the applied game engine. That is why I try to limit the amount of post-production editing in my films. I am inspired with the concept of going into the game and attempting to capture that almost perfect shot that most closely resembles the picture in my head.

But, for those who aren't familiar with The Sims, there are some things that can't be done in game, no matter how many hacks or cheats or mods you make use of. So, that means you have to rely on editing and special effects. That's not to say that is a "bad" alternative. I love special effects ... I want to be "wowed", and there are a lot of really awesome effects being created out there. And it's not saying that it's a simple work-around to a challenge, because editing special effects is by no means a simple task.

In the scene with the heart, I had to shoot the set twice at exactly the same angle, and even with that, the track motion had to be adjusted in the editing process. The 2 second scene required that the animation be separated from an object (hence the need to shoot the scene twice), and rather than get into the game coding, it was easier to manipulate this through editing. It required 2 overlays, a color correction, and 52 frames had to be individually masked, using negative and positive attributes.

So, I'm thinking it's fair to say that for me, this video is very different from all my others, because it relies heavily on editing and special effects. It gives me something to think about while I wait for the next idea to smack me in the noggin.

The Ruined Cathedral

2009-06-28T21:54:00.016-04:00

Yes, somehow I've actually managed to do some work on my next video project. I've had this particular idea rattling around in my head for a year, and I didn't expect any work on it would get done while I'm in school, but sometimes it serves as a nice distraction ... at least a creative one.

I actually completed the storyline on Friday, and I've chosen to keep the title to myself for the moment. I did promise a friend a few screen shots, since she was kind enough to help me search for some files.

I spent three days constructing this set, which I call The Ruined Cathedral, and at six this morning I began a rebuild completely from scratch. Because of the changes I made to my config files, the first build was too "tight", and I anticipated some problems in being able to capture my video. The settings are extremely sensitive to level change in the grid and sends my camera bouncing into those places I'd rather it not go.

I have no idea how long this project is going to take me, but I thought it was way past time for me to update this blog. On a closing note, another thanks to my friend who sifts through those web pages, looking for content.

Lineage2 Machinima

2009-06-22T19:30:00.002-04:00

I began playing Lineage2 before I began my practice with machinima. In fact, it's been more than five years since I first discovered the beautiful world of Aden and the wonderful creatures that roam its lands. And after discovering machinima, the idea of making a video with Lineage2 has tormented me from time to time.

So, when I happened across this little Lineage2 machinima piece, I was rather impressed, but I also know the degrees of effort it requires to make machinima with the Lineage2 game engine.

Truly Inspirational!

2009-05-03T13:23:00.003-04:00

It's an experience that frequents me often . . . waking up with thoughts about ideas for videos, but today I woke up with thoughts about someone else's videos. That's "a first" for me.

Last night I had the extremely good fortune to discover two videos, created by someone who calls himself/herself, feesixbullets. Other than the limited information provided on the YouTube channel profile, the only thing I know about this individual is that he/she has made some of the best Sims2 machinima I've ever seen, and you'll just have to trust me . . . I've seen a lot of Sims2 machinima.

I have never been so impressed with a video that I wake up thinking about it. So, if anything on this blog were ever blog-worthy, these videos by feesixbullets are definitely worth mentioning. I will spare you my critique, because we all have our different perspective on what appeals to us and what doesn't, but as someone who has struggled with this particular medium, I can truly appreciate all that I watched in feesixbullets' videos. Simply, I will just say, for me, these videos are truly inspirational and are examples of exquisite artistry.

Gatlinburg

2009-04-26T03:10:00.003-04:00

In between class work I've been working on my latest video. I had originally planned to work on this during the summer, but I kept getting ideas stuck in my head and needed to make use of these ideas so that I could get some sleep.

The video takes its name from the song, "Gatlinburg", which I wrote many years ago about my grandfather. I know very little about my grandfather, and what I know of him is written in the song. So, yes, it is based on a true story.

I'd like to offer a special thanks to Vera Marina at modthesims2. She is one of my favorite "skinners" and I feature many of her skins in my videos. She is extremely talented, and I've added a link to her modthesims2 page in the links section on this page, should you want to check out her work.

The Darkness

2009-03-19T00:56:00.002-04:00

I did mention ... way back there somewhere ... that I was working on a graphic project in school, and I am relieved to tell you that I have indeed finished one of my projects. My experience with machinima did in fact make this particular effort an easier one. I dread to think about what some of my colleagues are going through.

The two minute video, "The Darkness" is not machinima, though some would argue that point with me since the project required the use of a 3D environment. However, that environment did not exist until I created it. And I created this environment using 3D models and Java scripting. The program which was used for this project is Alice. If anyone is interested, it is a free program and can be downloaded here. If you try your hand at this and want to share your creation with others, you will need a way to create a video file that can be uploaded to the web. The screen recording program recomended by the Alice staff is BSR, and it is what I used to make a recording of my video. This is also a free program and can be downloaded here.

You do not need to know or understand Java in order to use the Alice program. The amount of creativity that can be accomplished with this program is overwhelming. Alot of the models and textures made by other users are rather talented, and if I had not been locked into a two week deadline, I might have created my own models. However, one reason I chose to use the models already created was to show people what can be done with the program in it's current state.

Alice was created by Randy Pausch, who died last year after a long battle with Pancreatic Cancer, and it is an object-oriented programming tool, designed to teach people how to create objects, properties, and methods using a simple visual language.

In 2006, the Alice team entered into a collaboration with Electronic Arts, where EA had agreed to help underwrite the development of Alice 3.0 and provide essential arts assets from "The Sims™". As of at this moment, Alice 2.2 is still in beta, and I was unable to find any updates on the Sims2 version of Alice.

One thing I found a bit disturbing, was that Moviestorm was a bit too similiar to Alice. The major differences are there are a significant amounts of fewer bugs with Alice as compared to Moviestorm, the models are more detailed, and the camera settings are a dream with Alice.

I don't want to mislead anyone ... Alice is designed to be a program to teach programming ... however, if you take a look at my video, I think you might see the potential Alice has as a video creating tool.

One more thing . . . to anyone interested in trying this program . . . I recomend you don't record the audio track from the screen recorder. A lot of sound cards no longer support that type of audio recording, and it's easier to just edit the sound track into the video with an editing program like Sony Vegas. You'll also get a better audio track if you do it that way.

Machinima ... still shaping my life.

2009-02-19T23:41:00.003-05:00

I honestly believed that when I went back to school, machinima would not play a part in my life, until maybe again sometime in the future.

The first lab project in one of my computer classes was a simple exercise that would determine our grasp of Microsoft Word. Quite simply, all that was required of us was to write about anything we wanted to write about, using Microsoft Word and the required properties dictated by the project.

I chose to write about machinima, because I am still discovering that very few actually know anything about the subject, and I wrote my paper as if writing to an audience that knew nothing of machinima, and I'm including it here:

Machinima Lost

The term “machinima” is credited to Hugh Hancock, the co-author of, “Machinima For Dummies”, in January of 2000, but the first machinima video is arguably said to have been released October 26, 1996. This first release was known then as the “Quake Movies”.

Machinima is not so easily defined anymore, as progress, greed, and Copyright has created a need for “machinimators” to expand, change, or elaborate on the definition as it suits their agenda. Originally, it was a simple concept and defined a simple process. Hobbyists used the term to define their works as capturing video footage from within the confines of a 3D environment in “real time” and editing these video clips with a computer editing program.

I was introduced to machinima and became a member of the machinima online community in 2004 and made a significant contribution in pioneering this new art form under the Britannica Dreams label. Britannica Dreams Productions produced its last machinima video in October of 2006, but I continue to produce machinima under the Krywolf label.

It is my belief, through my experiences, that machinima has become lost. In its original form it emerged from the online game, Quake. This is why the original definition included the crucial characteristic, “real time”. The process, seemingly simple, involved the individual “logging into game” and capturing video from game play by using a video capturing program, like FRAPS. In this case, the individual had no control over the environment or actions of the characters. He or she would have to edit the footage in such a way to create his or her vision of what the video would relay to its audience.

Today, programs and hacks have been created that have completely removed the “real time” character from the video capture. As an example of this, I use The Sims2, a game created by Electronic Arts, to create my footage for my videos. With the use of hacks and “modded” files and programs, I can manipulate the environment and characters to create the desired outcome. There is very little editing involved in my videos, as I am able to “stage the set” in game. However, if I wanted to remain true to the original concept of machinima, I would launch my game and allow the characters to react within the dictates of “game play” and capture those actions to video clips. Then edit those clips, and also increase my work load and extend the time needed to complete the project.

Perhaps the most significant factor in removing machinima from its original state is Copyright. As some of these hobbyists began to realize they might be able to “turn a profit” with their projects, provided they could create a market for such primitive entertainment, they also began to realize that they would have to create ways to deal with Copyright, as the tools of their trade belonged to others. It has always been my belief that machinima was never meant to be intended for commercial use.

Many machinimators have turned to the online world of Second Life, believing they could properly solve the Copyright dilemma. Though Second Life is a 3D environment, it is an environment of which can be completely manipulated and staged, thus removing the important “real time” characteristic of machinima. And once again, Copyright has managed to play a part in it, with members claiming other members don’t have the right to capture video footage of their avatars or virtual properties.

Unless we maintain machinima in its original form, it is lost

I was satisfied that my paper would earn me a good grade, but I was surprised to find the professor had left me notes, asking if he could discuss machinima with me, and he also requested to have a look at any machinima I may have done.

I had reached a comfortable acceptance of my videos being watched by my peers, my family, and the faceless audience, and I have always been so graciously inspired by the comments, praise, and criticism of the above named. I've survived all those precious moments of being overwhelmed by those who seemed so genuinely moved by my works, and I recovered from moments of setbacks from those who were malicious about my works.

I am my worst critic, and I am always amazed when I receive praise, and truthfully, I am rather quiet when it comes to my works ... you won't find me plastering my works on every site I find on the web or spamming others to watch my vids or link to my pages. So, when my professor asked to see my machinima, I was really nervous. And that's not to say that I feel his opinion is more important than anyone else's, but this is a man who has a say in my future. At this particular time in my life, he is judging me in ways no others are, and he has to.

I wasn't able to think of an adequate approach to keep this from sounding like I'm boasting, other than to tell you that this is about something someone sent me in an email. This relates to the whole copyright and videos being removed off servers mess, and how a lot of spirits have been crushed a bit. I think what I'm trying to say is that I don't want you to lose site of inspiration and how it governs the bigger picture.

So, I took a deep breath, and I met with my professor right before class. We began a light-hearted talk about machinima, World of Warcraft, and the WoW episode of South Park. Finally I gave him the link to my YouTube channel, inviting him to have a look, and I've been anxious about it all week. So, tonight, I went to my online course content page and discovered he had left me another message.

It was a somewhat long message, about my lab score on another project, and machinima, and how he had a look at my videos. To that he said, "Your work is incredible!" And the important thing here is not that he took the time to leave me a comment on what he thought, and that the comment left was a favorable one. Of course, it means the world to me, but the important thing is how those simple words made me feel.

Until I read that comment, I had been reluctant to continue producing machinima. I've been carrying all these bad memories and the bad feelings that come with these memories, and I had been made to feel it was all a waste of time ... I had been made to feel that I was invisible ... that my worth wasn't noticed. And then I read that comment from my professor, and for the first time I'm thinking, "Okay, maybe it's worth pursuing this ... for me."

So, my point is, inspiration can strike at any time, in the simplest of forms, and the way something shapes your life is not a constant.

Claiming Copyright Infringement ... or bullying?

2009-02-13T14:36:00.003-05:00

I have received emails, and messages about the subject of my previous blog post, and I have received requests on YouTube, that I return some of the videos I removed. One request tugged at my heart strings just a bit. I believe the person who made the request is a young person, and I had to reply and explain why I'm not allowed to return the video to YouTube ... the video that brought this young individual a lot of enjoyment.

I have read in eamails, the frustration and disappointments from my colleagues, and all of this makes me feel really badly ... it brings me down. And all of this also got me thinking about the larger picture of what's been going on with matters relating to copyright infringement, and I have to tell you, I'm feeling a little bit bullied at the moment. And I realized, others are feeling it too, so, I thought I'd share my thoughts on giving this matter some perspective.

We'll start by clarifying a few points ...

Do I think it's criminal to make copies of a film and sell them to others? Of course I do. Do I think it's wrong to steal another's work, for example a song, perform and record that song, and release it to the public as mine? I think that is most definitely wrong! Do I think it's wrong to enter videos into festivals without acquiring a festival license? I do. Do I feel the gaming industry has a right to prohibit machinima made with their game engines from being used commercially by outside parties? I feel very strongly that they have that right. Do I think it's criminal to make a video with the Sims2 game engine, edit an audio track into it, making sure to credit the owner of the music, and publish it to a website where no money is received on that video? Absolutely not, and I believe with all my heart that the claims of copyright against these kinds of videos is petty and bullying. And I will tell you why ...

The industry has a responsibility to its public ... to those who spend money on its products, concert tickets, movie tickets, CDs, DVDs, books, magazines, T-shirts, etc. The artists have a responsibility to their public too. When an artist or production company releases works to the public, they are doing so with the assumption that thes works will be used by that public ... art in galleries is used so that people will view it, music is used on the radio or through CDs and players so that people will hear it. These items are exploited by the industry to make money. They intend to make the money from you, the public. And when these items are released, published, and distributed, it is also assumed that the artists and production companies must give up a certain measure of control on what becomes of that material once it is placed in the hands and ownership of others.

For example, someone buys a book. They read the book and pass it on to someone else. They distributed that book, but they do not hold the copyright on that book. Or, after reading the book, they sell it to a used book store, who in turn sells it to another customer. Let's say that book was my book ... am I going to make a claim of copyright against the person who shared my book with others? Of course not, because I have a responsibility to my public. I understand that in publishing my book and allowing it to be distributed, others will share it or trade it or sell it. I understand that if the book does not circulate I will lose my audience. It's a give and take, but lately, the coperate level of it is doing all the taking, and not giving anything back.

But what if someone took my story and made a manuscript from it, submitted it to a publishing house as their work, and they make a profit from the book? Am I going to file a claim of copyright? Of course I am. Am I going to prosecute and sue for damages? Of course I am, and why? Because there ARE damages ... the sales of my book that were stolen can be collected against.

This is where we show some perspective ....
Let's use as an example my video that was removed from YouTube ...
The main song in the video was, "Croce Sang", written by me. The video also contained two snippets of music. One snippet, which was less than 26 seconds long, came from a Jim Croce song, and Jim Croce died 36 years ago. There are 1,120 results for Jim Croce on YouTube, as of this blog posting. How many of those do you think were posted by Jim Croce?
The other snippet, which was less than 3 seconds long (3 seconds, folks), was from the song, "We Built This City", by Starship, who no longer performs as a group, and the song was released 24 years ago. There are 2,830 results on YouTube for this song, as of this blog posting. And how many of those do you think were posted by the Band, Starship? Now, I only used less than 3 seconds of that song in my video. Does anyone really believe I'm going to make any kind of profit off of 3 seconds of music in a silly little Sims2 video? From a song that is a qurter of a century old? Are any of you starting to see how ridiculous this situation has become?

Now, let's add to this information the important fact that my video does not generate any income for myself or YouTube, nor does it prevent the original and full-blown versions of those songs from generating an income to the owners or copyright holders. In Jim's case, I don't think any amount of income it could hypothetically generate would do the man any good.

Let's also consider the music track used in Sims2 videos. These tracks are edited from the original, and quite often, the edited version is not complete, changed in some way from the original, and the quality of the audio does not equal the original. If I want a particular song in my personal collection, I promise you, I am not going to get that song off a Sims2 video uploaded to YouTube. But, a Sims2 video, most likely will "turn me on" to a song, and I will purchase that song, because a Sims2 video introduced it to me.

So, I ask you, where are the damages by someone who used a piece of music in their Sims2 video? And where is the logic in policing these types of videos, when these types of videos show no promise to make anyone any money?

To complicate this issue, YouTube is now allowing the copyright holder to exploit our videos. I don't believe I have ever read anywhere that copyright allows exploitation. And how is this exploitation being carried out? The copyright holder is now allowed to attach advertisement to the video which "allegedly" contains material that can be claimed as copyright infringement. And here's a more serious problem associated with that ...
I'll use the Sims2 as an example since that is the game engine I use for my videos. In the user agreement of a Sims2 game, you will find information that states you are not allowed to use the game or videos of the game commercially. When someone attaches advertisement to your video on YouTube, your video then becomes "used commercially".

From what I have read, copyright allows the copyright holder to force you to stop using their copyright material. It does not grant the copyright holder free use of your works, as in attaching their advertisement to your video. For those of you in this situation, I would advise you to check into this ... you don't want to have any problems with EA. (Electronic Arts)

So, what we are dealing with is not plagiarism, or earning a living off another's hard work. The issue is why is promoting the works of another where no damages are created being manipulated through copyright on a coperate level? And, as it is, we are allowed to spend our hard-earned income on buying material from the industry, but we aren't allowed to use it. This is definitely a bully's mentality.

Copyright Infringement and YouTube

2009-02-11T13:53:00.004-05:00

I was hoping that I would not be blogging on this subject, but since I have been pulled into this, I wanted to share some tips and info on this matter.

I was first alerted to this, many months ago, by someone whose Sims2 videos gained a huge amount of respect from me. Her approach was a simple one ... she sent me a friendship invite to her new YouTube channel, briefly explaining that one of her videos on her original channel had been removed from YouTube for copyright infringement. I empathize with her and the many others who are dealing with this type of thing, but I was not surprised about it.

I'd like to take this moment to briefly define copyright in layman's terms. Simply, copyright is not proof of ownership. (If someone claims another's work as his/her own, that is plagiarism, and is a more serious crime than copyright infringement.) Copyright grants a legal right to the holder to "distribute" material. For example, when I published my novel, "A Scarecrow's Dream", the publisher controlled the copyright of that book for two years, as dictated in my contract. I owned the book, but the publisher held the copyright as well, even though I was the original copyright holder. What that meant was, that particular publishing house and only that publishing house had the legal right to distribute my material.

From another perspective, you can make all the music videos your heart desires, of all your favorite songs, for private use and not be infringing on someone's rights. But, once you publish that video, or distribute it, without permission from the copyright holder, then you are infringing on another's rights. Understand that "private use" means you do not share it with anyone else ... it's for your enjoyment only.

Now, moving on ...
A couple weeks ago, I discovered videos of, who I've always looked to as, a friend were removed from YouTube for copyright infringement. I did try to get more information on this particular instance, but hit a brick wall. However, I discovered I was a bit bothered by it, so, I began to look into the matter.

My first concern was how are these people's videos being selected, or targeted, for removal. I mean, seriously, folks, there are millions of videos on YouTube which contain, for example, copyright music. Most people are "ignorant" when it comes to music and copyright, and I mean this in a kind way. Though I completely understand the, "ignorance is not innocent in the eyes of the law" philosophy, it is not a good enough reason to over-look "intent". Most people making music videos don't intend to break a law, nor do they understand that they are breaking laws. To them, they are creating fan art ... or simply just expressing something through a favorite piece of music or poem ... or whatever inspires them.

My second concern was a personal one...
When the britannicadreams.com site was illegally taken from me, I lost control over what is placed on that site. This played a part in the falling out of the two BD founders. When it was decided that there would be no more BD, I made a request that the web site and the YouTube channel be brought down. I expressed further wishes that neither of us continue to produce videos under the BD label or upload the BD videos to other sites. In short, I was pretty much told to go fuck myself, and I was issued a declaration that I had no say in what happened to my videos.

It really wasn't worth the time or expense in pursuing this matter, and I just wanted the whole ugly experience to disappear. However, I forgot then to consider one crucial detail ...
An email from an attorney of one of the artists, whose songs were used in two BD videos, arrived in my inbox about a week ago. It wasn't until that moment when I realized that I needed to find out if I can be liable for the actions of the ex-partner who continued to "distribute" the BD films. It was also at that point that I felt it was in my best interest to remove any BD videos that were on my YouTube channel. The email inquired about the use of songs in two videos that appeared on the ex-partner's YouTube channel. I had to reply to the attorney, explaining I had no control over the YouTube channel or the web site. It also enlightened me on the matter of copyright and licensing.

In some cases, it is not enough that you have legally retained permission to use, for example, a song in your video, especially with Creative Commons material, and especially if you submit your video to a festival. In these cases, you must meet the requirement to use the material, and you must also purchase a license. The cost of a license can be as little as $50 and as high as thousands of dollars, depending on the video's budget and how you intend to distribute the video.

I also began re-editing my videos, using my own music, of which I hold the copyright. During this process, the video on my YouTube channel wich contained my own song, with me performing it, was removed for copyright infringement. It was then that I realized how videos are being targeted. And so, I did more research into this matter.

What I found is that a lot of people who hold the copyright to the material used in their videos have had their videos removed for copyright infringement, and the most ridiculous thing about this is that YouTube does not verify the claims before it removes the material. However, at more inconvenience to the artist, he/or she can file a counter claim, known as a DMCA counter notice. YouTube does provide this form online. You can find links to it through their almost worthless help section. And don't expect to find a contact person to help you with this ... YouTube has removed any links to email, nor do they offer assistance by phone.

If you have your video removed, and if you had permission to use the material, or if you are the copyright holder, I urge you to file a DMCA counter notice. People who make false claims against your material are subject to legal prosecution. The burden of proof lies with the one who filed a copyright claim against you. If you counter, they must prove that they hold the copyright to your work. They must do this within 10 days of your counter claim. And obviously, since you know you hold the copyright, they can't prove otherwise, so, your video and all the stats are reinstated. But, prosecution of the individual who made a false claim lies with you. However, if the liar has a counter claim filed against, him or her, your case is a winner should you want to seek prosecution.

So, the ugly truth is, anyone who just wants to be nasty, or anyone who wants to cause you stress can file a claim against you. They simply contact the studio holding the copyright on the music used in your video, or in my case where I am the copyright holder, they file a claim through YouTube, stating that the music is actually theirs.

There is one more reason why people are filing claims against artists who own the material. When filing a counter claim, you must list your personal information ... address, phone ... etc. This information is used by companies to solicit their products to you. At this point, I was unable to determine if YouTube is doing anything about this scam.

As for me, I have been able to replace two of my videos with my own material, and if the individual who made the false claim (and I know who you are) does so again, or if anyone else makes a false claim against my works, I will file a DMCA counter notice.

To everyone else ... good luck, and be careful ... and if someone wrongs you, stand up for yourself.

Machinima .. through eyes wide open.

2009-01-27T14:53:00.003-05:00

When Britannica Dreams Productions dissolved, unconsciously, I began the process of silently examining my interests (if any) in Machinima. Just recently, as I make my way through my studies, that process of examination has become a conscious one, and I am amused and amazed at what I have learned with eyes (now) wide open.

We'll start at the beginning, because the beginning is always a good place to start. In the beginning, I convinced myself that I was interested in Machinima, because it was something I could do with a special someone who was an ocean and a reality removed from me. What triggered this memory was a song from a CD I was listening to, driving home from school the other day. The song is, "Under the Waves", by Pete Droge, and the exact lyrics that allowed me to glean insight are, "All I wanted was to impress you."

I began to question my interest in Machinima at that exact moment, because the truth is, and I see it now, I was only "in it" to impress her. Everything I did back then was to impress "her". So, I removed "her" from the (my experience of Machinima) equation, and I discovered that I really wasn't interested in Machinima at all. And the reason for the lack of interest is that Machinima is simply nothing more to me than just another way to tell a story. I prefer the method of writing songs (or just writing) to that of Machinima. And there is a reason for this as well ...

What I had discovered is that the final product of a Machinima project is void of "the personal touch". In other words, Machinima is created on the computer, and it borrows creations from others. It's very impersonal ... looking at it now with eyes wide open.

Now, being in the field of Computer Science, and stressing my brain with all that computer programming "stuff", being exposed to a vast world of video graphic tools and programs (with many of these items offered as free downloads off the Web, I find myself asking, "Why did you continue to make Machinima videos after BD bit the dust?"

Today that answer finally materialized, and it made me smile at how simple it is. And the answer has inspired me to continue with the Machinima hobby (even, if at a later date, when I have the time). The simple truth is I absolutely love The Sims, and my interest in making Machinima with the Sims2 engine is inspired through the enjoyment I receive from creating sets and characters. I suppose, making Machinima with the Sims2 engine is nothing more than capturing my Sims experience on video. Perhaps we could look at it as "virtual home movies".

But for now, the Sims will have to take a seat on the back burner, and without the Sims, there is no Machinima for me. What I have seen now is that for me Machinima IS the Sims. However, there is a video project I am working on in class, and if I am pleased with the outcome, I intend to upload the video and provide links to the downloadable program. Though I am working with a 3D environment, I do not consider this to be Machinima. I'm excited about it, and I hope I will have something to share with you.

Lovin' the Glitches

2009-01-08T00:57:00.003-05:00

I've always been entertained by the game glitches in The Sims2, and earlier today I witnessed a glitch I've never experienced before. In the picture above we find Charlie, arriving home from work, and attached to him is his infant son. This picture is a screen shot from actual game play. Even those of you who don't play the game can safely assume the actions appearing in the photo are not supposed to happen in that way.

And how did Daddy come to be melded with baby boy, you ask?

The father was giving his son a bath in the kitchen sink when the carpool arrived. He finished bathing his son and carried him out to the car. The nanny was also arriving, and I assumed the father was going to pass his son to the nanny, but instead, he climbed into the car with his son in his arms.

Now, this presents an intriguing situation, as the game graphics do not allow for that particular animation. Nonetheless, baby went to work with Dad. Eight hours later, the two returned home, and since there are no animations for the action, they returned in the state pictured above. Again, for those who do not play the game, there is no programming that allows infants to go to work with their parents.

I did wonder if father and son would remain in this compromised state, but after the father climbed out of the car, he took a couple of steps, and the baby "jumped" back into his arms. And after the baby was fed and bathed, all was right in the Sim world.

The Sims2 ... machinima?

2008-08-26T20:55:00.002-04:00

These past few days, I had found myself entertaining a certain curiosity, and so, I did a bit of reading and what I commonly refer to as "research". The first thing that struck me as I began my search through the internet clutter, was that of those who comment on things relating to machinima, it's always the same small group of voices having their say on the subject. And these voices are varied. There is the voice of the one who professes to be the expert, and (my favorite) the voice which comments only when it has something significant to offer, and the voice delivered by someone who basically is clueless but is going to comment nonetheless.

One thing they all have in common is that they really can't come to an agreement on what "machinima" really is and they all want it to be more than it is. But as I read what they had to say on the subject, keeping in mind the origin of my curiosity being Vimeo's decision to no longer host "video game videos" but will continue to host machinima, I began to question the nature of Sims2 videos as they compare to the different definitions of machinima.

I have seen the difference between Sims2 videos that were created simply through the capturing of Sims2 gameplay and those that were created to be "machinima". According to the Academy of Machinima Arts and Sciences, machinima is "filmmaking within a real-time, 3D virtual environment, often using 3D video-game technologies." Then they offer an "expanded definition" ... "it is the convergence of filmmaking, animation and game development."

It seems to me as the definition expands, it is meant to encompass more areas from which to possibly draw revenue? But regardless of how many fingers are trying to grab a piece of the pie, what is clear is that "video game" seems to be a definitive part of the equation.

So, keeping all of the hoopla in mind, I began to see Sims2 videos as something other than machinima. I think the key to understanding this can be found in the term "game play". Those of us who are producing music videos and short films with the Sims2 game engine, are not doing so through the simple technique of capturing footage from game play. In fact, most of the films many of us are making cannot be made if we had to rely on game play. If not for the "hacks" that alter the scripts and animation and content, we couldn't make our films.

Another thing that sets the Sims2 apart from other games is the built-in camera, and even that tool has to be "tweaked" to get the desired effects. So, perhaps my curiosity should extend to the definition of "real time" as it applies to machinima. If, with the Sims2 game engine, everything has to be "set up" and "fixed" and "preconceived" ... is it still considered to be "real time"?

Perhaps if you say to me, "these are the components needed to make machinima ... a PC, a video game, something to capture images from the game, and a program to edit the captured video clips" then I could say by that description Sims2 videos can be considered to be machinima. But if you're going to include in your definition of "machinima" things like "filmmaking within a real-time 3D environment", then I have to question Sims2 videos as machinima.

If you take a look at Jaydee's video, "From Yesterday", I feel almost certain you would agree that she didn't make that video by simply going into the game and filming it in real-time. And it is a fine example of filmmaking and what can be done with the Sims2 game engine, provided you have the "know-how" to manipulate the files and hacks. And yet, based on the definitions of machinima, I just don't think it fits into that category.

No matter what we choose to call it, I believe the Sims2 game engine offers a valuable creative filmmaking tool to those who take the time to manipulate the program and force the format to duplicate their visions.

Measuring Originality

2008-08-10T04:42:00.002-04:00

I just finished reading an enlightening blog entry, which was inspired by my previous blog entry. That's one of the nice things I enjoy about blogging ... how fellow bloggers bounce ideas off each other through the art of writing. The "deep thinkers" always draw my interest, and I pay close attention to the things about which they write.

One of the things of which I am guilty is forgetting that my readers don't know my state of mind when I post a blog ... they aren't privileged to my private thoughts or how my emotions are influencing my words.

So, when I make, what I believe to be, a clever little play on words, like, for example, "rip-off artists", I forget to consider those who will take my words literally, and I forget to consider the impact those words will have on some. I understand now that perhaps I should have shared with the readers the question in its original form. I will share that with you now :)

Mister X writes, "Doesn't Britannica Dreams have anything original or is it all rip-offs?"

When I read that, I didn't interpret it to be an accusation that we are ripping off others' ideas and trying to pass them off as our own. But, as I said, it pushed some buttons, and the buttons it pushed are those relating to personal issues I have with the entire Britannica Dreams ordeal ... those things that went on "behind the scenes".

Allow me to write a bit about "influences" ... those things which shape the character of my writing. To explain one influence, I've chosen to share a story about a tarot reading. I've yet to decide where my beliefs stand on the issue of tarot reading or anything related, but I did find this fascinating, and it does tie into the previous blog post.

For those of you who don't know, there are many different types of "spreads" used when reading tarots. In this instance, the spread used was The Great House, which consists of six placements of one card each. Each placement represents a specific position in the person's life. In this particular spread, the third placement is the "Histories" position. The "Histories" position outlines a background or past mental state that has been crucial to the current position. What has gone before? Where has the querent been? Who or what has had influence?

The card that landed in the third position was the Queen of Wands (inverted), and the meaning of this card (inverted) is ... Jealousy and manipulation are at work. An underminer works against you posing as your friend.

So, when I read that question, I thought about that tarot reading, and how "spot on" it was, and I thought, "So that's how BD will be remembered ... as rip-off artists". And I wasn't the one who wanted to make the remakes.

However, I am a big fan of "fan art". I believe there's a difference in loving a song or piece of music and wanting to create something with it or share with others through your creation how that song makes you feel or how it inspires you ... and ... remaking a film for lack of being able to come up with your own idea.

Choosing a piece of music that sets the character or mood of a story you're telling, is simply just that, and I find it to be a perfectly acceptable way to tell a story. An example of this is the BD video, "Scars & Souvenirs". The story of a pregnant teenage runaway who abandons her newborn at an orphanage and much later in life is reunited with her son has nothing to do with the GooGoo Dolls', "Name", but I felt that song was a perfect backup song for my story.

It is true to say that nothing is without influence. Creativity is most definitely influenced, and we are inspired by the things we've experienced and seen. But when it comes to originality, I like to look at it in this way ... the key to measuring originality is to understand the origin ... at what place did the idea begin? Did it begin in your mind, irregardless of all the things that influenced the thought ... or did it begin by imitating someone else's idea?

And finally the last thing that went through my mind when I read that question involves an issue I have with BD winning an award for, Best Story on, "The Snow Witch". Why did BD receive an award for a story that wasn't theirs? There's something really wrong with that ... at least, that's how I see it. And in all fairness, I should point out that other machinima videos by other artists have received awards for things which did not belong to them. But, you don't want to get me started on the so-called award systems currently in place for certain groups of machinimators.

In closing, there is one more thing to consider ...
For most of us, the driving force behind the videos is a simple matter of entertainment. The average person viewing these little vids is pretty much just looking to be entertained, be it with an original story or whatever. I believe the true character of the artist will be found in his or her intent ... regardless of the originality of the film, what was the intent of the artist when creating the film?

The Dream Is a Nightmare That Won't Go Away!

2008-08-06T23:51:00.003-04:00

There's been some changes in my life, just recently, and some of these changes have helped me to recover from a bad series of events. I feel a return to myself, and I'm feeling reasonably happy these days. However, at the moment I'm also feeling a bit cranky. It most likely has something to do with the heat and the horrid humidity, but it has me in the mood for a little rant. Besides, I have a few readers who seem to be most interested in my rants. :)

First, let me clarify my current position ...
On the simplest level of understanding, I returned to making videos with the Sims 2 game engine, because I needed something to do while I was recovering from a knee injury for two months. I was reluctant to upload my videos to the Net where they could be shared, because of the bad experience I had the first time. However, my second experience of it has been completely different. I have met some wonderful people. There's been no drama, no arguments, no backstabbing, but things from the past keep creeping up and trying to intrude on my present.

So, as I have made a lot of new friends and fans, I receive emails and messages, and I don't mind answering the questions if I can. So, tonight, I am reading through my email, and I come across a question. The question pushes some buttons, and there is really nothing wrong with the question. And I have decided to also answer that question in this post, and then I will continue with my rant, and perhaps a little heart-to-heart. First, I want to say that I completely understand why people are a bit confused on this particular issue, and if I didn't know the truth, I'd be asking the same questions.

THERE IS NO MORE BRITANNICA DREAMS! :)

As to why Britannica Dreams has dedicated pages on such sites as YouTube and MySpace, or any other similar internet sites ... I can't answer that. I have my theories, and I'd like everyone to understand that you will not find my name mentioned on those pages as being part of Britannica Dreams. But also try to remember that Britannica Dreams was not just one individual. What is the implication then ... what does it say about the person who sets up a Britannica Dreams page where at first glance Britannica Dreams and the films on that page seem to belong to just one person?

To be perfectly honest with you, I am sick to death of Britannica Dreams. I wish I had never thought of the idea. I regret ever having wasted any time or energy or talent on the project or with the person who was supposed to have been a partner in the project. Some advice ... make sure you know ... as best and as well as you can, the person whom you choose to share a project with. Make very very sure you know who you are working with.

If I could, I would permanently wipe every single Britannica Dream video off the face of the internet. I absolutely hated it ... to have to put some of those videos on my YouTube page. But, I thought it was the best "passive/aggressive" approach to clearing up some confusion, and I thought it would field some of the questions I was receiving. I am looking forward to the day when I can trash those films. I see them, and I cringe. They represent things from a time when things were being said and being done that went against my beliefs.

There was something said, just recently, about BD films not being original. What can I say to that? That's an almost correct statement. Even if I did want to argue that point, I couldn't. I had a "discussion" about this very issue with the ex-partner. I said that I thought we needed to be producing films with original story lines. To that, I was told that there are no original stories anymore. So, I guess that was the go-ahead to rip off stories that have been done over and over and over? I mean really ... let's look at the BD collection, shall we ...

Happy Ever After ... a rip off of Sleeping Beauty

The Highwayman ... nothing but us putting images to the poem written by Noyes

Secret Garden ... images set to the film, "Jerry MaGuire"

Visiting Scrooge ... just another version of Dicken's classic tale

(Two versions of ) A Mermaid's Tale ... yet another version of Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale

The Snow Witch ... and another film where we set images to someone reading a folktale written by Hearn

So, to the person who said there's nothing original about Britannica Dreams ... you are absolutely right if you judge us by those films listed above ... or if you judge us by some of the music vids we created. However, there were a few videos where we used my original story concepts, and when I say original, I mean, I conceived the story line. There were a few music videos which the ex-partner applied her own interpretation of the song. But, over-all, I'd have to say, we were pretty much just as accused ... "rip-off artists". So, to the person who brought up that point, thanks for pointing it out :)

Maybe for their time, and their time ended two years ago ... but maybe then, those films were current and a fine example of what was being churned out then. But, today, they are old news and out dated. The last film made by BD was released before the Sims 2 "Seasons" expansion was released, and Sony Vegas has released 3 upgrades since BD last edited a film.

Their time now is gone, and I'll be much happier when they are truly gone and Britannica Dreams is forgotten. And just because you find these films uploaded somewhere on some page in some corner of the cyber world, or you find pages titled, "Britannica Dreams", doesn't mean it's the real thing. The Dream IS dead. :)

Inspiration

2008-07-20T16:42:00.002-04:00

One of my good friends posted an entry on her blog about "misplacing her inspiration" as to how it applies to machinima projects. I think it's fair to say that inspiration is a part of all endeavors which hold us captive. And I guess it's also fair to say that there are just as many different sources of inspiration as there are reasons why we do the things we do.

I had commented on her post, and she returned an interesting comment to my comment, which inspired me to want to comment on the reply :) And as I began to type that first word, I thought perhaps it would just be easier to blog about it, as my reply was going to be a lengthy one.

For my understanding, I place artists into two categories. There are the practical artists and the romantic artists. The practical artists are able to apply their talents and creations through avenues of business ... earning an income from their art ... turning it out as if it were a product for mass production. And I have a lot of respect for those who can take their talents and make them work for them in financial ways.

Ah, but for the romantic artists ... and I have to be honest, I fall into this category. We often struggle with things like "writer's blocks" or "lack of inspiration". The romantic artist is always trying to "express" something, whether it be something about him/herself or about things which move the artist in some way.

The practical artists are more efficient with being able to meet deadlines and are usually individuals who are better focused. They can draw inspiration from simply knowing that a project has to be completed at a certain time to earn the "big bucks". I had a friend in college who was an extremely talented artist and was earning a degree in Graphic Arts. She would go on to set up her own business making T-shirts boasting her brilliant designs, and eventually would land a fantastic job with The Cosmopolitan magazine.

And the romantic artists are often those who are better known as the "starving artist", and fortunately we all don't cut off our ears when the love of our life leaves us. But we struggle and this is reflected in our art and creations. We procrastinate and postpone and scrap ideas and stress over the fact that we aren't getting anywhere with our creations.

Because the romantic artist is so motivated by inspiration and the desire to "express", any little moment of life can derail us from our focus ... the weather, a loss of a loved one, the job that pays the bills that our art does not. And as life changes, so does the source of inspiration, and as we change and grow, so does our source of inspiration. But sometimes it's just a simple matter of not knowing what it is we want to express. But then one day it suddenly hits us and a masterpiece is born.

Breaking Silence About Broken Trust

2008-07-05T23:33:00.003-04:00

I've been silent about this for a very long time now, but I have been alerted to a blog entry that has pretty much pushed me to the limit on this, and I'm not going to be silent about it any longer.

On November 27, 2007, stranger 109 writes in a Machinima Spotlight of The Snow Witch ... "So I was more than pleased to see Michelle’s piece not only nominated, but win. Hopefully we will see more and more women like Michelle getting their work out there (for more from Michelle checkout her site Britannica Dreams)."

Michelle was the first to leave a comment to this post, and she did not bother to correct the gross misrepresentation represented in that posting.

First, for the record, I have been unsuccessful to reach an agreement with Michelle to dissolve Britannica Dreams. As far as I am concerned, the moment we fell out with each other, which was in part connected to "The Snow Witch", and stopped making films together, there no longer was a Britannica Dreams. The sites to which she has uploaded our films after January of 2007, were done so without my consent.

The site, Britannica Dreams is not her site as the blog post claims. The domain name, britannicadreams.com was created, purchased, and originally registered by me, and I have the bank statements to support this. The site was purchased and financially maintained by me for two years, and I also have the bank statements to support that claim as well. The original template of the site design was purchased by her husband ... however, I do not have those records.

The videos that are on the Britannica Dreams site, except for the featured artists videos, were created in a joint effort between Michelle and myself. However, all of the base Sims2 games and the expansions packs used to create those videos were all purchased by me. And I have the bank statements to support that as well.

As for the film, "The Snow Witch" which she and the mentioned blog entry claim is her creation ...

Michelle approached me with the idea of that film a year before it was finally released, and it was as all the other videos, a project meant to be done as a joint effort. I made several sets for her, including the bridge and garden which is used in many promotional shots for the video. She was responsible for all the sims and costumes, the interior furnishings, and most of the exterior sets. She was responsible for the actual video capture. I shared in the decision on choosing the narrator, and functioned as the main director. Director does not mean the one who captured or edited the video. That would be the camera person and editor. But my greatest capacity was to go through the footage she sent me and determine what worked and why, and what didn't work and how to fix it.

At that time, "The Snow Witch" was to be the first video in a series ... again, the credit for the series idea goes to Michelle. The second release was to be a Native American ghost story, and I wrote a "retelling" of an old Native American Telling called, "Two Ghostly Lovers". That retelling can be found on my myspace blog

After a couple of weeks, Michelle decided she didn't want to continue with the project. After many months, I persuaded Michelle to reconsider, and I went through each clip of footage, deciding what was good and what needed to be reworked. We spent several weeks on the film, and per my suggestions, Michelle had to recapture many of the scenes until we arrived at the desired composition. After the first completed editing, Michelle was not satisfied with the audio of the video, and it was at that moment I suggested she contact gToon and ask him if he would help us with the project.

I do not want anything from the film ... I have not asked for any mention or thanks or any part of any prizes the film may or may not have received. However, credit should be given where credit is due, so, I at least wanted to exert my right to set the record straight.

Rays of Light Through Dark Clouds

2008-06-30T02:35:00.003-04:00

I have made my apologies on my YouTube channel, and I am going to make them here as well. I have been slow in answering emails and questions, and I do apologize for that. It is true that since my knee has healed enough to allow me to get back to work and out of the house, I have been busy, but to be completely honest, I did not anticipate receiving a large number of messages when I returned to making machinima videos.

It's been just a bit overwhelming, but dearly appreciated and inspirational. I'm just a little bit stunned, and in my attempt to respond to the messages tonight, I found myself at times at a loss for words. What I am most amazed at is how kind everyone has been. I'm not used to that. When I was part of Britannica Dreams, I wasn't able to see the comments or emails. For the most part, what was brought to my attention were the unfavorable things. Lately I've been concerned that I made decisions then without having all the facts.

My first online experience with machinima was a rather gloomy one, and that is not a reflection of just the audience. However, this second experience has been completely different from the first, and this is a direct reflection on the audience. These supportive comments have been rays of light through dark clouds, and my thanks goes out to all of you.

So, with that said, I do apologize for taking too long to reply to the messages, and to thank everyone for the amazingly beautiful support and flattering comments. The main reason I chose to address this issue here is because there have been a lot of comments and questions about my camera work, especially in the video, "Vampire Masquerade".

I will be honest with you ... the one major thing that improves the mechanics of the in-game camera is the actual PC ... more precisely, the graphics card and the computer's processor. I'm running on an Intel Core 2 Quad Processor @ 2.40GHz and an NVIDIA GeForce graphics card.

I have also changed the settings in the config files. There are two sites I recommend you visit to get great info on this subject .....
The SidDog's Machinima Tutorial
and
Jaydee's Movie FAQs

Both SidDog and Jaydee provide excellent instruction on working with the camera files in the game. However, there is no exact way to do it. It's trial and error, based on the effects you're wanting to create. My advice to you is to back up your original files and play around with the settings. It can take some time to get it the way you want it, but it can be worth it in the end.

And finally, I'd like to address one more issue that was mentioned many times. There was some questions about the camera work in some scenes where editing played an important part. In the video, "A Long Time Ago", I intentionally relied mostly on camera work. There is very little editing at all with that video. Most of the heavy editing was in the, "Tigers" video. By the way, I am considering a remake on that one. I think I prefer to keep the editing to a minimum and use more camera work. The questions about these particular scenes were from people who are using Windows Movie Maker as their editing program.

My experience with WMM was short lived and a few years back, so, I don't think I'd be fair in saying Sony Vegas will give better results. I happen to know a few machinima directors who do brilliant things with WMM. However, I do know that with Sony Vegas you can achieve nice smooth pans, but your camera work needs to be smooth. No amount of editing is going to fix a choppy camera movement.

It's a matter of personal preference, though I have found many agree that close-ups are more effective. I tend to work close with the camera and pan out if there is something in the foreground or background that is important to that scene at a particular moment. I don't particularly agree to end a scene by panning out ... I find it more effective to the story to let the action in the scene carry the view out of the frame. These are the things I think about when setting up the camera.

I hope this has answered the questions about my camera work, and I wish everyone the best with their video projects.